Junk bug (Green lacewing larva)

Gardens, orchards, crops, and various urban landscapes with vegetation

Predatory; feeds on aphids, mites, scale insects, and thrips

Larvae carry a camouflage 'trash' pile on their backs made of debris, dust, and drained corpses of their prey to hide from predators. They are active hunters with sickle-shaped mandibles.

Extremely beneficial to ecosystems as natural biological pest control; they pose no risk to humans, though they may occasionally deliver a minor, non-toxic nip if handled.